White and longtime executive producer of “The Ultimate Fighter” Craig Piligian today made the pair’s enshrinement official at a ceremony that took place at the promotion’s UFC Fan Expo Las Vegas 2013 inside Sin City’s Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Griffin and Bonnar were the light-heavyweight finalists on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” During the live finale, the two engaged in one of the most memorable slugfests in MMA history, with Griffin coming out ahead with a 29-28 unanimous-decision win. That fight is largely credited with fueling the UFC’s meteoric rise in popularity around the globe, and White has long praised both fighters for their contributions to the company.

“In the grand scheme of things, fighting is not that big of a deal,” Griffin said at the ceremony. “It’s not like a hero profession even though sometimes it’s treated as one. It’s not being a soldier on foreign soil or being a firefighter. But sometimes, with special moments, it feels like that. It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of, and I really appreciate all of you being a part of it with me.”

Griffin (19-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) would go on to win the UFC’s light heavyweight title, though he lost it in his first defense.

Bonnar (15-8 MMA, 8-7 UFC) had an up-and-down UFC career, culminating in a fight with Anderson Silva this past October – after which he tested positive for steroids. The failed test was the second of his career, leading to some protests regarding Bonnar’s right to a Hall of Fame nod. Earlier this week, White vehemently defended his decision.

“I don’t think people really realize what that one fight meant to this sport and to this company,” White said. “In the big picture and the way hall of fames work, it might not make sense to everybody else, but it makes sense to me.”

Bonnar, who continues to remain so connected to that moment in MMA history that he named his son Griffin, spent nearly 10 minutes recapping his journey through the sport of MMA before quoting Calvin Coolidge to sum up his experience. He also praised the man he’ll forever be associated with in the annals of UFC lore.

“If there’s anyone in the UFC I could have picked out to lose that fight to, it would have been Forrest Griffin,” Bonnar said. “As painful as it was to lose that fight, I was so happy for him because he’s a great guy.”

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